Re: Phoebe, child of the Kuiper belt.

Uncle Bob wrote:



http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2005-071

Saturn's moon Phoebe has a density consistent with formation in the Kuiper belt, suggesting it was captured by Saturn's gravity.

Clear Skies
Uncle Bob


Some additional Phoebe info--

The handwritten discovery announcement from  1899 (Harvard Observatory)

http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/seri/BHarO/0049//0000001.000.html

Magnitude given is 15.5. Considering its low surface brightness, one wonders if it has been seen in amateur telescopes. The discovery plates were taken with a fast 24" telescope in Peru. Mag 15.5 is fainter than Hyperion, which is a challenging object.

I guess I'd better hurry if I want to find out this year.
Clear Skies,
Uncle Bob
.